Predicting College GameDay locations for every week of the 2025 season

The 2025 college football season will be here in just a matter of weeks. 

College GameDay has already announced its location for Week 1 — including Lee Corso’s grand finale. GameDay will be in Columbus for Ohio State vs. Texas when the 2025 season begins in earnest on Aug. 30.

After that, it’s a wide open slate. 

Last year in this piece, I went 7-6. I got off to a great start but Indiana’s emergence as a national power resulted in 2 College GameDay curveballs that no one could have seen coming (Washington vs. Indiana in Week 9 and Indiana vs. Ohio State in Week 13). That, along with a couple of other misses, spoiled a 5-2 start.  

Predicting College GameDay locations for 2025 season

With that in mind, here’s a prediction for GameDay’s location for every week of the 2025 season: 

Week 2: Michigan at Oklahoma

This is by far the best game of a bad Week 2 slate. The Wolverines and Sooners may or may not be a top-25 matchup, but this is an easy GameDay projection based on name value alone. GameDay was in Norman once last season for Josh Heupel’s return to campus. Ironically, this matchup also presents an homecoming opportunity for the opposing head coach. Sherrone Moore played for Bob Stoops at Oklahoma from 2006-07, adding another storyline to this blueblood matchup. 

Other options worth considering: Iowa at Iowa State, Oklahoma State at Oregon

Betting line: Oklahoma -3 (via BetMGM)

Week 3: Florida at LSU

This is an absolute gauntlet of a week. There are at least 4 games on this schedule that could have been GameDay’s choice for Week 2 over Michigan vs. Oklahoma if the slate had broken differently. In the end, I’m going with Florida at LSU because that’s already been designated as the primetime ABC game for that week. Florida should be undefeated going into this game. LSU has a really tough Week 1 game at Clemson but I think this setting could be ESPN’s choice even if LSU drops a 6th consecutive season-opener. If LSU does beat Clemson, I think UF vs. LSU becomes a virtual lock for GameDay in Week 3. 

Other options worth considering: Georgia at Tennessee, Texas A&M at Notre Dame, Wisconsin at Alabama

Betting line: LSU -5.5 (via DraftKings)

Week 4: South Carolina at Missouri

This is another difficult choice. Florida vs. Miami is probably the game of the week, but I think GameDay will get a look at the Gators in Week 3 — and Hard Rock Stadium is not the campus atmosphere GameDay typically covets. The rest of the SEC slate is lacking. Michigan at Nebraska has to be mentioned, but I don’t think College GameDay would break ESPN/FOX battle lines for a game of that caliber. GameDay went to Big Ten games a bunch last season, but every one of them featured 2 top-10 teams with the exception of its groundbreaking trip to Bloomington. 

In the end, I’m going with South Carolina vs. Missouri. Both of these teams should be comfortably undefeated and this is a chance for GameDay to highlight one of the sport’s most interesting coaches (Eli Drinkwitz) and one of its best quarterbacks (LaNorris Sellers) early in the year. GameDay hasn’t been to Columbia, Missouri, since 2010 when the Tigers hosted then-Big 12 foe Oklahoma in a top-25 showdown. 

Other options worth considering: Michigan at Nebraska, Florida at Miami, Oregon State at Oregon

RELATED: Sports betting in Missouri will be legal soon! Here’s a breakdown of all the best Missouri sports betting promos so you can be ready on launch day!

Week 5: Alabama at Georgia

This is a layup. I was ready to make the case for Notre Dame at Arkansas (no GameDay trips to Fayetteville since the Darren McFadden era!) but I don’t see any way GameDay passes up the opportunity for another Alabama vs. Georgia game — particularly with how last year’s contest became an instant classic. 

Other options worth considering: Notre Dame at Arkansas, Oregon at Penn State

Betting line: Georgia -4.5 (via FanDuel)

Week 6: Clemson at North Carolina

There are some great SEC games this week, but we’ve waited long enough before highlighting Bill Belichick. Clemson making the trip to Chapel Hill as a (potentially) undefeated national championship contender would be too tempting for Kirk Herbstreit and Co. to ignore. The only exception would be if both Texas and Florida are undefeated going into this week, which I don’t think is particularly likely. 

Other options worth considering: Alabama at Vanderbilt, Texas at Florida, Miami at Florida State

Betting line: Clemson -13.5 (DraftKings)

Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas 

College GameDay loves going to the Texas State Fair for Oklahoma vs. Texas. ESPN’s crew has made the trip to see Oklahoma and Texas split the Cotton Bowl down the middle plenty of times throughout the years. As long as OU doesn’t lose to both Michigan and Auburn before Week 7, I think this is a virtual lock given Arch Manning’s presence. The rest of this slate isn’t super strong, although Georgia vs. Auburn would serve as a potential backup plan. 

Other options worth considering: Georgia at Auburn, South Carolina at LSU, Florida at Texas A&M, Ohio State at Illinois

Betting line: Texas -10.5 (via BetMGM)

Week 8: USC at Notre Dame

My instinct was to put Alabama vs. Tennessee in this slot, but I think GameDay will save its Tuscaloosa trip for a little later in the year. USC vs. Notre Dame is an endangered rivalry and College GameDay making the trip to South Bend could put a spotlight on one of the sport’s most important annual meetings. Plus, Notre Dame and USC could (and should) both be CFP contenders by this point in the season. 

Other options worth considering: Tennessee at Alabama, Ohio State at Wisconsin, SMU at Clemson, Texas Tech at Arizona State

Betting line: Notre Dame -10.5 (via FanDuel)

Week 9: Alabama at South Carolina

This is a pick that could easily blow up in my face if South Carolina fails to meet expectations. But there’s also a world where this is a virtual Playoff elimination game (could be a third loss for either program) and South Carolina has one of the most underrated home field atmospheres in the country. GameDay was in Columbia last year before the LaNorris Sellers hype train really got going and it was treated to a very memorable contest vs. LSU. 

On paper, this looks like one of the weakest slates for the entire season. Programs such as Georgia, Florida, Clemson, Ohio State and USC are all idle. GameDay didn’t visit a group-of-5 program last year, so maybe this is an opportunity to get back to a non-power conference setting. Maybe South Florida at Memphis?  

Other options worth considering: Texas A&M at LSU, Colorado at Utah

Betting line: Alabama -7.5 (via DraftKings)

Week 10: Penn State at Ohio State

There it is — a Big Ten vs. Big Ten game. I think GameDay will be selective with its Big Ten exposure this season as it was a year ago, but Penn State at the Horseshoe is a clear opportunity to head north. All the pressure is on James Franklin and the Nittany Lions this year. Jim Knowles back in Columbus will be a popular storyline as well. This should be a top-5 matchup considering how both of these programs have handled their business vs. the Big Ten’s minnows historically. 

Other options worth considering: Georgia vs. Florida, Oklahoma at Tennessee, Duke at Clemson, Arizona State at Iowa State

Betting line: Ohio State -4.5 (via BetMGM)

Week 11: LSU at Alabama

College GameDay has been in Tuscaloosa for LSU vs. Alabama in 5 of its last 7 opportunities — a stretch began with their iconic 9-6 contest in 2011. I haven’t given Tuscaloosa a game yet in this piece with the idea that Herbstreit, Pat McAfee and Co. will make their near-annual pilgrimage in Week 11. 

Other options worth considering: Oregon at Iowa, Florida State at Clemson, Indiana at Penn State

Betting line: Alabama -6.5 (via FanDuel) 

Week 12: Texas at Georgia

With Texas at Georgia as an option, it feels like everyone else is fighting for second place this week. Week 12 has a pretty strong slate, but it’s difficult to imagine GameDay passing up on a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship Game. An Arch Manning check-in could also be necessary by this point in the calendar. 

Other options worth considering: Oklahoma at Alabama, UCLA at Ohio State

Betting line: Georgia -2.5 (via DraftKings)

Week 13: USC at Oregon

Week 13, the calm before the storm. Perhaps an SEC game of importance will emerge from this week eventually, but there’s not one that’s currently obvious besides maybe Florida vs. Tennessee if things break right for both of those programs. USC at Oregon would be a strong candidate for GameDay assuming the Trojans are anywhere near the CFP picture by the time late November rolls around. 

Other options worth considering: Tennessee at Florida, Arkansas at Texas

Betting line: Oregon -13.5 (via BetMGM)

Week 14: Texas A&M at Texas

The Game was my pick for this slot last year, but the Wolverines were multi-touchdown underdogs to Ohio State — whoops — so GameDay ended up going to College Station for Texas A&M vs. Texas. There are about 4 rivalry games that could get the nod here — it really just depends on who is still in the mix by late November. I think Texas A&M has a better chance to be nationally-relevant by Week 14 than programs like Michigan, South Carolina and Auburn who are also playing in high-profile rivalry games that weekend. 

Other options worth considering: Clemson at South Carolina, Ohio State at Michigan, Alabama at Auburn

Betting line: Texas -10.5 (via FanDuel)